Abbey Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Abbey Primary School Stuart Avenue, Forest Town, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire NG19 0AB

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Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that the school’s work may have improved significantly across all areas since the previous inspection. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Neil Harris. This school is part of ONE Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Graham Boyd, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Yvonne (Pip) Dean.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at this aspirational and welcoming school. They feel safe and know that there is a trusted adult that they can talk to if they have any worries. Pupils know that all staff care deeply about their well-being and are quick to help them if a fall-out happens.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school ensures that pupils and their families are at the very heart of the school’s work. As one parent said, whose comment was typical of those from many others, the school is ‘a constant positive force in my children’s lives’. Regular school celebrations and an Easter performance help parents and carers to be part of this close-knit community. They relish the chance to see some of their children’s learning in action.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour throughout the school is impeccable. The school’s values reinforce the way pupils treat each other with respect and include others in learning and at playtime. Pupils have exemplary manners, welcome visitors with a smile and are eager to share their learning. The school has high expectations of all pupils, and this is seen in the way that pupils learn and achieve.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is deeply committed to ensuring that all pupils have a wide range of well- considered experiences. The wide range of enrichment opportunities, such as residential visits and careers fair, create lifelong memories. An extensive extra-curricular programme 1 and 2 April 2025

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ensures that pupils develop their talents and interests, including in the extensive school grounds.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Reading is prioritised across the school. Children begin to learn to read as soon as they join the school in the early years. Staff read aloud to pupils regularly, and pupils enjoy their visits to the extensive school library. They enjoy choosing a range of books and read widely and often. These experiences develop their love of reading.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Highly trained staff deliver a consistent approach to the teaching of phonics. They skilfully give opportunities for pupils to practise the sounds that they have been taught. This helps pupils to read with fluency and confidence. When gaps in their knowledge are identified by staff, pupils are quickly given the right support to catch up.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has put in place a well-ordered and aspirational curriculum. This curriculum identifies the precise knowledge that pupils need to know. New learning builds on what has been taught before. For example, children in the early years can name the four countries of the United Kingdom, leading to pupils later studying other places in the world, such as the Galapagos Islands. They can describe the geographical similarities and differences in depth. Teachers expertly question pupils to check their understanding and help to resolve any misconceptions swiftly. Pupils build their knowledge over time. They can talk about their learning with confidence. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their learning.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school quickly identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff ensure that these pupils receive the precise support that they need. When necessary, teachers skilfully adapt their delivery of the curriculum to ensure that these pupils make the best possible progress through the curriculum content. The school works with a range of internal and external partners when needed to provide expert advice about supporting pupils with SEND. As a result, these pupils achieve well.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Children get off to an excellent start in the early years. They follow well established routines and learn together enthusiastically. The carefully designed environment ensures that children engage with a wide range of learning opportunities and build their knowledge. Staff proficiently develop children’s language and vocabulary through purposeful interactions. For instance, staff use gesture with number songs to help children to support their mathematical understanding.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Pupils are very well prepared for life in modern Britain. They enjoy the wide range of leadership roles that the school provides for them. Visits to local places of worship, such as a mosque and mandir, strengthen pupils’ understanding of celebrating difference and diversity. Learning about important historical figures, such as Rosa Parks and Mala Yousafzai, has further strengthened this work. A typical pupil explanation of the school’s values was, ‘It doesn’t matter what’s on the outside, it matters what’s on the inside.’ Inclusion and disabilities are also celebrated very well. For example, pupils take part in 1 and 2 April 2025

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inclusive sports events, playing boccia, polybat and seated volleyball. As a result, all pupils have an equal chance to flourish at the school.

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The trust and its local governing body have a shared, aspirational vision for the education of all the pupils. They know the next steps to take to make the school even better. As a result, they perform their statutory duties very well. Leaders ensure that staff are well trained to lead individual subjects and to support pupils’ learning. Staff are extremely positive about how the trust and school leaders consider their workload and support their well-being. All are proud to work at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged: the predecessor school, Abbey Primary School, to be good for overall effectiveness in March 2015.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 1 and 2 April 2025

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 1 and 2 April 2025

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School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the ONE Academy Trust.  The school does not use alternative provision.  The school operates a breakfast club, after-school club and holiday club provision.  Abbey Primary School converted to become an academy school in May 2021. When its predecessor school, Abbey Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good for overall effectiveness.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 1 and 2 April 2025

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 The inspector met with the headteacher and other school leaders. The inspector also met with several teaching staff and central trust team representatives.  The inspector met with the chair of trustees, the chief executive officer of the trust, the chair of the local governing body and a group of trustees and governors.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, reviewed the school’s curriculum documentation, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector spoke to parents at the start of the school day.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View and reviewed the

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responses to the school staff and pupil surveys.  The inspector looked at a sample of the school’s policies and records, including those related to behaviour and pupils’ wider development.

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Inspection team

Jon Brown, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 April 2025

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achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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